Peji's Recovery Corner Pej Alaghamandan

Alec Richards was born and raised in Southern California. Kind hearted and full of life, he is an example of the many highs and lows that comes with being a celebrity offspring in the heart of Hollywood. He had to navigate himself through many years of tribulations and pain to become the well rounded strong man he is today. At 29 years young, he is an old soul who has lived a couple lifetimes and here to share his story. His specific life experience has made him into the incredibly creative and talented tattoo artist that he is proud to be today.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of "Peji's Recovery Corner." I'm your host, Pej, and today, we have a deeply inspiring and raw episode for you. We're joined by a courageous guest, Grace, who bravely shares her journey from a tumultuous upbringing marked by mental and physical abuse to overcoming years of addiction and self-destructive behavior. Grace opens up about her early introduction to substances at the age of twelve and how her experimentation quickly spiraled into dependency. She recounts harrowing experiences, including time spent in juvenile hall, the devastating impact of heroin, and the destructive relationships that fueled her addiction. Despite these challenges, Grace's story is one of resilience and transformation. In this episode, you'll hear about her turning point—when she realized it was time to change her life—and the steps she's taken towards recovery. Now, at twenty-two, Grace is committed to a new path, one she hopes will inspire others struggling with similar battles.

Episode Notes
Farid Tabrizy holds an honorary doctorate in Human Resources Management. In addition, Farid is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Board Certified Expert in Alternative Medicine, Board Certified Sports Counselor, and a Certified Massage Therapist in Acupressure/Shiatzu with over 20 years’ experience. He is a yoga practitioner, tai chi instructor, and Grand Master with an 10th degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo, 6th degree Kenpo Karate, 7th degree HapKido, and Tae Kwon Do. He is a board member of the Masters Hall of Fame, with a World Master Title from WLOP. Farid also is an acting board member of the Martial Arts Division of WLOP, and Advisor of the Power Lifting Division. Farid has a passion for motivating and advising people to become their very best. In his travels, he has sought out the most challenging physical and spiritual experiences in order to become a more positive and constructive person. He had a vision to create a center where he could integrate the Body, Mind and Spirit with the belief that you cannot heal one without also healing the others. In 1994, along with his wife, he created Harmony Heals Inc., fulfilling his vision to bring this care to all clients.

Episode Notes
Elena Morgan, a 23-year-old originally from Louisville, KY. She has been in recovery for nearly 18 months, transitioning from a wild city girl lifestyle to a peaceful and calm one, all thanks to her higher power.
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Methadone AddictJoey Price is an individual who grew up in Port Neches, TX, with a focus on family, friendships, and sports. He demonstrated leadership skills early on, serving as class president for three years and being crowned the class awards king in his high school, PNG. Joey particularly excelled in soccer and went on to become a collegiate kicker for Sam Houston State University. During his time at Sam Houston, Joey experimented with alcohol and hard drugs. Unfortunately, a back injury he suffered in high school resurfaced during his senior year, leading to regular use of painkillers. This eventually led him down a path of white-collar addiction while working for JP Morgan and BNY Mellon in Houston. His addiction struggles culminated in being laid off due to the 2008 financial crash, leading to a methadone addiction that went up to 240mg. Seeking help, Joey made the decision to travel to California for treatment at Covenant Hills after an intervention from his family. The first year of his recovery was a tumultuous journey, but he eventually surrendered his will and embarked on a path of service to others. He immersed himself in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), worked the steps, and found solace in seeking a higher power. Joey's journey in recovery led him to play a significant role in running Sanctuary House Recovery as CEO. Over the course of ten years, he transitioned to business development and currently serves as an executive director at Story Wellness and senior outreach coordinator with Covenant Hills. Sobriety has allowed him to build a family, with his wife Rachel and children Wesleigh, Willow, and Walker. Today, Joey Price is actively involved in the addiction community as a service professional, an AA member, and a dedicated father.ere

Sober at 23 from Fentanyl
Gabe was heavily addicted to substances, most specifically fentanyl. He faced many challenges in his life during his addiction, including being a solid father for his daughter. He entered rehab with some reluctance per his mother's request and did not take his recovery seriously.

This marked the start of a journey of going in and out of treatment centers, and after a few episodes, linking up with the wrong people, going to treatment for the wrong reasons, or placing people into centers to selfishly line their pockets. Gabe was majorly caught in the body-brokering game, plus overdosing quite frequently. He was hospitalized on a few occasions and was even narcanned, which probably saved his life. The good news is Gabe survived not only almost losing his life to addiction but also breaking away from the clutches of one of the largest known body brokers on the West Coast.

Gabe is now a solid father to his daughter, a son to his mother, a grandson to his grandparents, a good member of society, and most importantly, a man of recovery who wholeheartedly helps people in active addiction get their lives back.

Come hear about Gabe’s remarkable journey and transformation on Peji’s Recovery Corner.